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How can India breathe cleaner air?

1.
How Can
We Breathe
CLEANER AIR?

2.
What is a higher disease risk factor than…
HIGH BPCHOLESTEROLTOBACCO ALCOHOL
What is a higher disease risk factor than:

3.
Dirty air worse than tobacco!
Source: Report of the Steering Committee on Air Pollution and Health Related Issues
August 2015
https://goo.gl/tcX4nG
HIGH BPCHOLESTEROLTOBACCO ALCOHOL
AIR POLLUTION.
Includes risk from Household and Ambient Air Pollution

4.
Dirty air makes you sick
When a steel mill in Utah, US was
closed – a stark co-relation in air
pollution (measured in terms of PM10
levels) and bronchitis / asthma cases
became apparent.
PM 10 levels fell by 50% - bronchitis /
asthma patients in hospitals reduced
by 50%.
Source: Health effects of Particulate Matter (WHO)
https://goo.gl/tcX4nG

5.
Dirty air kills you
Source: Health effects of Particulate Matter (WHO)
https://goo.gl/tcX4nG
A group of adults across 6 US cities
was monitored. Across 25 years,
there was again a stark co-relation:
For every 2.5 µg/m3 decrease in
PM2.5 levels, death rates also
decreased by 3.5%.

8.
PM 2.5: Simplest indicator of air pollution
• Most pollution sources emit particles.
Additionally, many gases and chemicals
emitted become particles.
• Level of PM 2.5 is linked to many
diseases.
• If PM 2.5 is high, it is likely that the
level of other pollutants is also
high.
Hence, if you want to
understand Air pollution
quickly, look at the PM 2.5
levels. It is like average for test
batsmen.
INCREASE IN LEVELS OF OTHER POLLUTANTS
AND INCREASE IN DISEASES
PM2.5LEVELS

9.
What is PM?
Solid and liquid particles suspended in the air is Particulate Matter (PM). PM10
and PM 2.5 are standard measures of air pollution.
HUMAN HAIR CROSS SECTION
(60 MICROMETERS)
Smaller particles are more dangerous for human health than larger
particles.
PM10: PARTICLES
WITH DIAMETER LESS
THAN 10 µm PM 2.5:PARTICLES
WITH DIAMETER LESS
THAN 2.5 µm

10.
Why are smaller particles more dangerous?
LARGER
PARTICLES
ARE STOPPED
BY THE BODY’S
DEFENSES
BUT PM10
AND 2.5 ARE
SMALL ENOUGH
TO SLIPTHROUGH
AND ENTER
THE LUNGS
Particles may take metals like cadmium, nickel and vanadium and harmful
chemicals inside the lungs and even inside the blood stream.

12.
India tops the world in dirty air
13 of the top 20 cities in the
world with the highest
average annual levels of
PM2.5 in India.
Individual stations routinely
report very high PM 2.5
measurements. Some times as
high as nearly 1,000 µg/m3.The
24 hour mean standards are
exceeded many times a years.
Source: Report of the Steering Committee on Air Pollution and Health Related Issues,August 2015
DELHI
PATNA
GWALIOR
RAIPUR
AHMEDABAD
LUCKNOW
FIROZABAD
KANPUR
AMRITSAR
LUDHIANA
ALLAHABAD
AGRA
KHANNA

13.
How bad is the air in your locality?
• The most authoritative source of data is Central
Pollution Control Board.
• CPCB gives only real time data. This is useful
for citizens in taking actions like staying indoors
but not useful for policy decisions as standards are
based on 24 hour averages.
• Also, CPCB website reports data for very few
stations. For example, data is reported for only
one station in Mumbai (Bandra) and for only 7
stations in all of Uttar Pradesh!
In summary, there are very few stations and the
data from them is not easily accessible.
For more, see http://cpcb.nic.in/RealTimeAirQualityData.php
Note:AskHow India has worked on a
spreadsheet that allows you to quickly
calculate the daily average pollution for
any measuring station that has data at
Open AQ.org. Find it at
https://goo.gl/gzo1av

14.
Where is the data?
Recommendations:
SHARPLY INCREASE
THE NUMBER OF
STATIONSTHAT
MEASURE AIR
POLLUTION
DISTRIBUTE DATA
FROM ALL STATIONS
ON-LINE IN A
MANNERTHAT IS
EASYTO ANALYZE
CALCULATE AND
PUBLISH DATA ON
STATION AVERAGES IN
ATRANSPARENT
MANNER.

15.
What makes our air dirty?
There is no one answer for the entire country.
Some of the common sources are:
VEHICLES POWER PLANTS HOUSEHOLD
FIRES
FACTORIES CROP
BURNING
AND
RESIDUES
MUNICIPAL
WASTE
DUST
Many sources dirty our air and many factors impact it.Which of these is most
important in your area can be determined by Attribution Studies.

17.
How do I handle so much complexity!!!
You have two options –
• Do not live in the more
polluted cities. If that is not
possible, then:
• You can stay indoors on days
that are more polluted.
• Stay away from traffic.
• Install air purifiers indoors
FLIGHT
And the first step in the fight is
to understand the issue in more
detail ...
FIGHTor

18.
Geography and weather affects air pollution
WIND MAY BLOW
PARTICLES FROM
FAR AWAY – FOR
EXAMPLE,
POLLUTION
FROM POWER
PLANTS HAS
BEEN MEASURED
UPTO 400
KILOMETERS
AWAY.
LOCATIONS
NEAR SEA MAY
HAVE SLIGHTLY
LESS AIR
POLLUTION AS
PARTICLES
BLOWN INTO
WATER ARE NOT
BLOWN UP IN
THE AIR AGAIN.
RAINS MAY WASH
SOME
POLLUTION
FROMTHE AIR
(BUT WOULD
POLLUTE LAND
AND WATER)
IN DRY AREAS
WITHOUT GRASS
ANDTREES, SOIL
AND DUST IS
BLOWN MORE
EASILY INTO AIR.
WHEN AIR NEAR
THE SURFACE
BECOMES
COLDERTHAN
AIR IMMEDIATELY
OVER IT
(INSTEAD OFVICE
VERSA)
PREVENTING
CIRCULATION, IT
IS CALLED
TEMPERATURE
INVERSION AND
CANTRAP
POLLUTANTS
NEARTHE
SURFACE.
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
LIKE
TEMPERATURE
AND HUMIDITY
MAY HELP
CONVERSION OF
GASES INTO
PARTICLES.
COLD AIR
COLD AIR
WARM AIR
(INVERSION LAYER)
TEMPERATURE
HUMIDITY

22.
CombatingVehicles Air Pollution: AVOID | SHIFT | IMPROVE
“A developed country is not one where the
poor have cars. It’s where the rich use
public transportation”
– paraphrased from Enrique Penalosa,
former Mayor of Bogota, Colombia
How can we use less vehicles?
PLAN MIXED RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
SPACESTO MINIMIZE COMMUTING
PROVIDE SAFE PATHWAYS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND
CYCLING FOR SHORTER DISTANCES
PROVIDE PUBLICTRANSPORT
LIKE METROS FOR LONGER
DISTANCES
VEHICLES

23.
TRAIN
TICKET
TRAIN
TICKET
BUS
TICKET
How can we encourage PublicTransport usage?
Public transport use depends on Cost,Time and Convenience.
BUILD IT BUILD IT FAST
BUS
TICKET
TRAIN
TICKET
METROTICKET
MAKE IT CONVENIENT
FOR PEOPLETO USE
SAME GST
FOR BOTH!
ENSURETAX AND OTHER
POLICY INSTRUMENTS
NEVER DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST PUBLICTRANSPORT
MAKE PRIVATETRANSPORT COSTLIERTO USE BY
INCREASING PARKING CHARGES OR RESTRICTING
MOVEMENT OFVEHICLES
CombatingVehicles Air Pollution: AVOID | SHIFT | IMPROVE
VEHICLES

24.
DIESEL PETROL HYBRID ELECTRIC
How can we shift to cleaner energy vehicles?
Cleaner options are costlier and need infrastructure to support them. For
example, battery recharging stations.
Government should help reduce cost of cleaner options and help create the
supporting infrastructure. For example, reduce tax on electric vehicles and
create battery charging stations near Metro stations.
CombatingVehicles Air Pollution: AVOID | SHIFT | IMPROVE
VEHICLES

25.
• PROHIBIT
• IMPLEMENT
• BE STRINGENT
*Source – https://goo.gl/zbzjAe
CombatingVehicles Air Pollution: AVOID | SHIFT | IMPROVE
How can we improve existing vehicles?
• Good road conditions with more flyovers and underpasses etc.
• Keep up with rest of the world on emission norms.
• Implement laws stringently. For example,
o Delhi’s Graded Action Response Plan requires “strict vigilance
and no tolerance for visible emissions” when PM crosses 60
µg/m3…We think laws should be strictly applicable at all times
o Twenty percent of pollutions tests in Delhi showed zero values,
suggesting that there is corruption in checking*
• Even in a corruption rich country like India, enforcement can be
made better. For example, in Mumbai drunken driving has reduced
significantly because of police regularly catching, testing and heavily
fining people who drink and drive.Why can’t this be done for such a
big killer as air pollution?
VEHICLES

27.
Household air pollution feeds into
general air pollution - Nearly 30% of
ambient PM2.5 concentrations in India
are estimated to be attributable to
household combustion of solid fuels.
This pollution does not just affect villages.
In 2011, 34% of urban households were
also using bio mass or fossil fuels in the
kitchen.
Also, wind may blow pollution from
villages into cities and vice versa.
Source: Report of the Steering Committee on Air Pollution and
Health Related Issues,August 2015
Air Pollution Contributors 2: Household Energy Consumption
HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION

28.
HOW: New LPG Connections
The government has targeted creation of 5 Crore new LPG connections and
reports suggest that 3 Crore of that target has been achieved.
HOUSES BURNING DIRTY FIRES
2018?2011
However, it is not clear how many of the households that have taken the new
connections use gas regularly.
Combating Air Pollution Contributor: Household Energy Consumption
HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION

29.
How can we reduce Air Pollution from household energy consumption?
Provide clean fuel for every household in the country. Even after the 5 Crore
new connections, nearly 50% of households would be burning dirty fuels.
Make sure that cleaner fuels are affordable and available for everyone.
CLEAN FUEL CLEAN HEATING
Combating Air Pollution Contributor: Household Energy Consumption
HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION

32.
How can we reduce Air Pollution from Municipal solid waste fires?
Collect / Segregate –Transport –Treat/Process/ Dispose
Local authorities across the country need to be strengthened to do this.
There are rules for collecting and treating waste in place since 2000, but they are not
obeyed.
COLLECT/SEGREGATE TRANSPORT TREAT/PROCESS/DISPOSE
AskHow analysis on treatment of solid waste coming soon!
Combating Air Pollution Contributor:Waste Fires

33.
DUST SOURCES
DANGERS POSED BY DUST
DUSTTHAT FALLS
ON ROADS AND
FOOTPATH
CHURNED UP BY
VEHICLES AND
PEOPLE
PARTICLES SENT
UP INTO AIR
FROM
CONSTRUCTION/
DEMOLITION
ACTIVITIES
SOIL
PARTICLES
BLOWN UP
FROM LAND
WITH LESS
GRASS AND
TREES
CONTRIBUTES TO PM
2.5 POLLUTION. ALSO
MAY CONTAINTOXIC
ELEMENTS LIKE
COPPER, BARIUM, ZINC
AND LEAD
Air Pollution Contributors 4: Dust
DUST

34.
• Prevent it from floating up in the first place • Reduce re-float
AFFORESTATION
ENFORCING BEST
PRACTICES IN
CONSTRUCTION /
DEMOLITION SITES
PLANTINGTREES AND
SHRUBS ON MEDIANS
AND PAVING
SIDEWALKS
REGULAR SWEEPING /
VACUUMING OF
MAJOR ROADS
CREATING GREEN
BANKS – POCKETS OF
TREES, SHRUBS AND
GRASS - SOTHAT
DUSTTHAT FALLS ON
THEM HAS LOWER
CHANCE OF
FLOATING UP AGAIN
Combating Air Pollution Contributor: Dust
DUST
How can we reduce Air Pollution from Dust?

36.
Big source of air pollution SO2 and NOx
• Power plants required to become compliant with recent
norms by 2022.
• This will require investments that many power companies
cannot afford.
• We believe Govt should treat this investment similar to
renewable energy to make it affordable.
Recommendation : Government of India should pay for
the installation of Sulphur handling equipment on all
coal plants. This is equivalent to investing in renewable
energy.
• NO SO2, NOX NORMS
TILL 2015
• INVESTMENT IS
NECESSARYTO CURB
SO2 POLLUTION
Air Pollution Contributor: Coal Power Plants
COAL POWER PLANTS

37.
Other industries / sources that burn Coal and Diesel
Power plants are finite in number. Other users of Coal and Diesel are
much higher in number and do not adhere to regulations.
Many use polluting fuel because clean fuel (electricity, gas, LPG) is not available or
expensive (higher duties),
MANY, MANY, MANY
RESTAURANT
SIGRIS
MANY, MANY BRICK
KILNS AND CEMENT
KILNS
MANY HOUSING
SOCIETIES USING
DG SETS
INDUSTRIES USING
DG SETS
Air Pollution Contributor: Coal Power Plants
COAL POWER PLANTS

38.
How can we reduce air pollution
from industrial units?
• Strict implementation of pollution laws.
• Reliable electricity supply so that people do
not use back up power.
• A duty structure that encourages use of clean
fuels and technologies.
Combating Air Pollution Contributor 6: Factories
FACTORIES

39.
In many North Indian states like Punjab, Uttar
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana, paddy sown
in Monsoon is harvested in early October so
that the second crop (normally wheat) can be
sown.
The Combine harvester leaves 10-12 inch of
‘stubble’. Most farmers burn this ‘stubble’ to
clear the farm quickly and cheaply.
Similar situation arises for other crops during
harvesting too.
It makes economic sense for one farmer to do
this but when farmers do this on 25 Lakh
Hectare of land burning 160 lakh tonnes of
bio mass, it causes lot of pollution for
everyone including in far off places such
as Delhi.
Source: https://goo.gl/y61guD
Air Pollution Contributors 7: Crop Residue
CROP RESIDUE

40.
Many solutions have been proposed. For
example, the stubble can be used as
mulch that helps the soil retain moisture.
However, such solutions would cost
money. Mulching require change in
harvesters and different kind of seed laying
machines.
Making rules is not enough as it is very
difficult to impose these rules on thousands of
farmers.
Recommendation: Provide subsidy for
proven solutions.
For details on an interesting solution, see
https://goo.gl/u67Hn5 MULCH
MODERNIZED
MACHINERY
Combating Air Pollution Contributor: Crop Residue
CROP RESIDUE
FARMERS WILL NOT FIND IT WORTHWHILETO
SPEND MORE.TAX PAYERS WILL NEEDTO
INVEST IN MOST EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS,
THROUGH SUBSIDIES

42.
Which pollution source should we tackle first? -1
Periodically, this question is asked in the media. For example,
IN OCTOBER – NOVEMBER WE ASK
IS CROP BURNING ISTHE REAL
PROBLEM?
DURING DIWALI WE ASK IF WE
SHOULD BAN FIRECRACKERS?
Inevitably, at that time opposing voices also spring up saying for example, that tackle
pollution from power plants first. Or tackle pollution from vehicles.
This is a futile discussion.

43.
Imagine, if you were a very unfit person who did not exercise, ate burgers and samosas
the whole day long with carbonated drinks and smoked and drank heavily.
Would you spend time debating if you should start exercising before quitting smoking?
Which pollution source should we tackle first? -2
TACKLE POLLUTION FROM
VEHICLES
PERSONAL CONSUMPTION
INDUSTRY
DUST
CROP BURNING
EXERCISE
EAT WELL
STOP SMOKING
DRINK IN MODERATION
REDUCE SUGAR INTAKE

44.
How do I handle so much complexity?
You have two options –
• Do not live in the more
polluted cities. If that is not
possible, then:
• You can stay indoors on days
that are more polluted.
• Stay away from traffic.
• Install air purifiers indoors
• Or even leave the more
polluted cities.
FLIGHT
• Contribute your bit by
measures like using public
transport
• Contribute to your
neighborhood by creating
green banks, preventing
garbage burning,
ensuring construction
regulations
FIGHTor
These two measures will have very limited
impact and you need to ask your
representative in the government to act.

45.
How does my representative handle so much complexity?
The problem of Air Pollution can be summed up as:
• No one source (is the sole contributor)
• No one man (or agency) is solely responsible
Hence, you need to ask your elected representative:
HOW WILLYOU
ENFORCETHE RULES?
HOW WILLYOU
ENCOURAGE USTO
FOLLOWTHE RULES?

46.
How will you enforce the rules?
Existing rules are not enforced because of:
CENTRAL
ENERGY
TRANSPORT
AGRICULTURE
STATE
INDUSTRY
ENVIRONMENTLOCAL
FOREST
CORRUPTION AND
INEFFICIENCY OF
AUTHORITIES, SO
THAT SOME GET
AWAY WITH
FLOUTINGTHE
RULES
MULTIPLE AGENCIES, NOT
IMPLEMENTING A
COORDINATED ACTION
PLANTO ADDRESS ALL
SOURCES
??
?? ?

47.
How will you encourage us to follow the rules?
Existing rules are not followed because of:
MULCH
MODERNIZED
MACHINERY
ECONOMICS: SOLUTIONS SHOULD
BE ECONOMICALLY
VIABLE ORTHEY’LL BE IGNORED
ATTITUDE: PUBLIC NEEDSTO BE
SENSITIZEDTO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT
THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF
REACTING ONLY WHEN SITUATION
REACHES EXTREME LEVELS
CONSTANT
EDUCATION
THROUGHMEDIA

48.
What should I ask which representative?
Use this handy chart to
help you quickly see
which authority to address
your question to.
MP = Member of Parliament, selected during Lok
Sabha elections (next in 2019)
MLA = Member of Legislative Assembly, selected
during State elections – recently held in Gujarat
and Himachal Pradesh
MC = Municipal Corporator, selected during
Municipal elections.
MP MLA MC
QUESTION ADDRESSEDTO
PLEASE GET AN AIR POLLUTION
MEASURING STATION NEAR ME.
HOW CAN WE CREATE PUBLIC
TRANSPORT FASTER?
PLEASE ENCOURAGE POLICETO
CATCH POLLUTINGVEHICLES!
HOW CAN WE DESIGN CITIESTO
REDUCE COMMUTE?
HOW CAN WE ENCOURAGE
ELECTRICVEHICLES?
HOW CAN WE REMOVETAX DISTORTIONS
ON PUBLICVEHICLES AND CLEANER FUELS.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVETO USE FIREWOOD
FOR COOKING IN OUR AREA?
CANYOU ENSURE PICK UP AND PROCESSING
OF ALL GARBAGE IN OUR AREA?
CANYOU ENSURETHAT ALL CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT POWER STATIONS INSTALL FGD?
CANYOU ENSURETHAT ALL STATE GOVERNMENT
POWER STATIONS INSTALL FGD?
PLEASE ASK CPCB AND SPCBTO ENSURE
COMPLIANCE OF POLLUTION NORMS BY INDUSTRIES
PLEASE PREPARE GREEN BANKS
IN AND AROUND US!
HOW CAN WE ENCOURAGE FARMERS
NOTTO BURN CROP STUBBLE

49.
Air pollution cheat sheet for administrators
UNDERSTAND
EXTENT OF
PROBLEM INYOUR
AREA (MEASURE)
UNDERSTAND
WHERETHE
POLLUTION IS
COMING FROM IN
YOUR AREA
(ATTRIBUTION
STUDIES)
WHICH OFTHE
SOURCES IS INYOUR
JURISDICTION?
WHICH OFTHESE
SOURCES CAN BE
PRIORITIZED
QUICKLY AND /
OR CHEAPLY? HOW
WILLYOUTACKLE
OTHERS? (ACTION
PLAN)
HOW CANYOU
INFLUENCE
SOURCES OUTSIDE
YOUR JURISDICTION?

50.
Thank you!
For many more topical InfoCapsules and Shorts, do visit us at
http://www.askhowindia.org/. See you there!